Cattle rustlers storm burial, chase away MPs, Governor, mourners

Residents of Chesongoch and Chesetan stand guard against cattle rustlers along the Kerio Valley in Elgeyo Marakwet County. The violence pitting the Pokot against the Marakwet communities has claimed scores of lives and displacing thousands. 20-10-2016. [PHOTOS:KEVIN TUNOI/Standard]

A burial ceremony of one of the cattle rustling victims in Marakwet East almost ended in disarray after armed Pokot raiders launched a daylight attack.

The raiders invaded Kasui village, just a kilometre from the home where Justine Kipkeu was being interred, and fired sporadically in the air as they drove away stolen animals.

The mourners, who included Deputy Governor Gabriel Lagat, Marakwet East MP David Kangogo and his Marakwet West counterpart William Kisang, scampered into the rocky terrain for fear of being attacked.

“This is the reason why we are saying there is no point being in government anymore. We bury people every weekend and raids are the order of the day,” Bowen said after calm had been restored.

And now, Marakwet professionals living in Eldoret have threatened to whip their fellow community members to ditch Jubilee if the Government fails to urgently tackle insecurity in Kerio Valley. They also called for the investigation of some Pokot leaders whom they accused of fanning the attacks, saying insecurity has affected the entire valley.

Addressing the press in Eldoret town yesterday, the professionals said the government has failed to guarantee them safety as provided for in the Constitution.

They said the government should immediately withdraw all security forces in the area because they have failed to protect lives and property and demanded the urgent enlisting of Kenya Police Reservists (KPRs).

“We overwhelmingly voted for the Jubilee government and we want President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto to know it is no longer business as usual,” warned Festus Kirop.

He accused the government of applying double standards when dealing with perpetrators of cattle rustling and their sympathisers.

“Our youths, some in schools, have been arrested while some chiefs and their assistants have been interdicted for allegedly failing to surrender those suspected of cattle rustling. But in Baringo where the rustlers come from, nothing has been done,” he said.

Cosmas Ruto, another professional, said economic activities in the area have  been affected and learning interrupted in several schools. “We are wondering how our candidates will write the national examinations with these attacks,” he said.

Mary Kimutai said women, children and the elderly are the most affected. Several children, she said, have died due to exposure to cold and snake bites

“People are currently living in caves which are cold and have snakes. This is too much and we cannot live like this anymore,” she said.